Multiple print easel

ABSTRACT

A multiple print easel for printing multiple exposures of both color and black and white in a plurality of different sizes from a single sheet of paper, said easel comprising a base with a paper holder slidably supported on the base, which paper holder retains the paper, a cover supported on the base over the paper holder and said cover provided with a plurality of different size openings each adapted to be separately closed, and wherein the paper holder with the paper may be positioned relative to said openings so that a plurality of prints may be produced from a single sheet, said easel having blocking means whereby the movement and positioning of the paper holder is controlled for proper positioning relative to the cover openings.

[ MULTIPLE PRINT EASEL [75] Inventors: Rudolph Retzyl; Martin D. Blanc,

both of Chicago, Ill.

73 Assignee: Martin Yale Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Nov. 17, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 199,503

Industries, Inc

[52] US. Cl. ..355/74 [51] Int. Cl. ..G03b 27/58 [58] Field of Search ..355/40, 54, 72, 74

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Freund ..355/74 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 5/1959 Canada ..355/74 5/1949 Great Britain ..355/74 1 Apr. 17, 1973 577,125 5/1946 Great Britain ..355/74 Primary Examiner.loseph F. Peters, Jr. Attorney-Max R. Kraus 57 ABSTRACT A multiple print easel for printing multiple exposures of both color and black and white'in a plurality of different sizes from a single sheet of paper, said easel comprising a base with a paper holder slidably supported on the base, which paper holder retains the paper, a cover supported on the base over the paper holder and said cover provided with a plurality of different size openings each adapted to be separately closed, and wherein the paper holder with the paper may be positioned relative to said openings so that a plurality of prints may be produced from a single sheet, said easel having blocking means whereby the movement and positioning of the paper holder is controlled for proper positioning relative to the cover openings.

10 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENIEB APR 1 m1;

SHEET 3 0F 3 ivm nmm

i W m Wm om MULTIPLE PRINT EASEL BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION paper thereon relative to spaced'openings in the cover,

whereby any one of said openings may be selectively used so that a multiplicity of prints and exposures may be made .on a single sheet of paper.

Another object of this invention is to provide an easel of the foregoing character whereby a single sheet of 8 X 10 inch paper inserted in the paper holder may be used to produce a pair of X 7 inch prints or exposures, or four 3% X 5 inch prints or exposures, or six 2% X 3% inch prints or exposures. The easel of this invention is positioned beneath an enlarger and is used in connection therewith for making the multiplicity of prints from a single sheet.

While the invention is described in connection with certain sized sheet and certain sized prints, it will be understood that it is applicable to other dimensioned sheets for producing other sizes of prints.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the multiple print ease], with the cover in lowered or horizontal position and with one of the doors opened'to uncover and expose the corresponding opening.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective with the frame in an elevated or raised position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the base, with a portion of the blocking plate and rod.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view showing the base and the paper holder and the means for blocking and unblocking the slot in the base.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of two 5 X 7 inch prints on a sheet.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of four 3% X 5 inch prints on a sheet.

I FIG. 10 is a plan view ofsix 2% X 3% inch prints on a sheet.

FIG. 11 is a reduced perspective view of the blocking plate.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on line 12-12 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken on line l3l3 of FIG. 1.

The easel comprises a generally rectangular-shaped base formed preferably of metal and generally indicated at 12, having a flat top wall 14, downwardly extending spaced side walls l5 and l6, and downwardly extending front and rear walls 17 and 18. The bottom of the side walls and front and rear walls terminate in inwardly extending bottom flanges designated correspondingly by the numerals 15', l6, l7 and 18'. A bottom plate 20 is detachably secured to the bottom flanges by suitable fastening screws (not shown) to secure the bottom plate to the base structure and promovable or slidable blockingv member generally indicated at 26 which comprises a flat horizontal blocking plate 28 with a downwardly vertically extending side 30. The blocking member is positioned inside the base so that the horizontal plate 28 thereof is contiguous to the underside of the top wall of the base and the side 30 of the blocking plate is contiguous to the side wall 15 of the base. The blocking plate 28, as will be hereinafter described, is adapted to be moved relative to the slot 22 to either clear the slot or to position either of the two edges in the path of the slot to block it, which serves to limit the sliding movement of the paper holder.

The opposite end of the blocking plate 28 has a side edge 32 and a right angled cutout portion 33 which defines an inner side edge 34 parallel with the edge 32 but inwardly thereof and a longitudinal edge 35 therebetween. An L-shaped strip 38 is permanently affixed to the underside of the plate 28 and the depending leg -39 thereof has an opening to receive the threaded end of a rod generally'indicated at 40. Suitable nuts 42 secure the threaded end of the rod to the L- shaped strip 38 and thereby secures the rod to the slidable member 26. Also permanently secured to the underside of the top wall 14 of the base is an L-shaped strip 44 with the depending leg 45 thereof provided with an opening 46 to receive the slidable rod 40 and to support the rod for sliding movement. Theopening 46 is alined with the opening in the depending leg 39. The front wall 17 has an opening 48 which is likewise alined with the opening 46 through which the rod 40 extends.

The front end of the rod is provided with annular portions 50 and 51 of different diameters to provide the rod with shoulders 52 and 53. A knurled knob 54 is secured to the front end of the rod for manual engagement for operating the rod to thereby move the slidable blocking plate 28 with respect to the slot 22 for the purpose to be hereinafter described.

A swing bracket 56 is pivotally secured as at 57 to the front wall 17 of the base. The bracket has an open ended slot 58 with one side thereof inclined as at 59. The inner end of the bracket is bent to extend outwardly as at 60 for manual engagement. The swing bracket when properly positioned serves to limit the inward sliding movement of the rod 40, as will be subsequently explained.

The paper holder is generally designated by the numeral 62 and comprises a generally rectangular-shaped flat plate 64 which is slightly larger than 8 X 10 inches and said plate has secured thereto an upper strip 65 and a lower strip 66, each of which has its inner face spaced slightly from the plate to provide a channel or pocket 67 and 68 respectively, for receiving the opposite upper and lower edges of the paper sheet 70. After the paper sheet is slipped into the channels 67 and 68 it will be retained on the plate 64 of the paper holder 62 during the sliding movement of the paper holder. Fixedly secured to the underside of the plate 64 is a pair of spaced stop pins 72 which are adapted to be positioned to slide in the slots 22 and 24 respectively of the base, however, with such stop pins the paper holder 62 may be readily lifted from the base. The paper holder 62 and the paper 70 thereon may be moved or slid longitudinally in the slots 22 and 24 until the stop pins 72 engage the opposite ends of their respective slots or to several intennediate positions where one of the'stop pins 72 engages either the edges 32 or 34 of the slidable plate 28.

When the rod 40 is in fully retracted position, the depending leg 39 will engage the downturned lip 44'. The blocking plate 28 is retracted in the base, that is, it is moved in the direction of the front wall and is clear of the slot 22. The paper holder, therefore, may be slid to the extreme right of the base and to the extreme left of the base, with the stop pins 72 engaging the opposite ends of their respective slots. From fully retracted position the rod 40 may be pushed inwardly to either of two positions to position either edge 32 or edge 34 of the blocking plate 28 in the slot 22 to limit the position of the paper holder. To position the rod in the position shown in FIG. 5, the bracket 56 is lowered so that the slot 58 thereof coincides with the rod 40 which positions the slot 58 in alinement with the opening 48 in the front wall 17 of the base. The rod may then be pushed inwardly until the shoulder 52 engages the swing bracket while limits its further inward movement. In this position the edge 34 of the plate is in the line of the slot 22. Thus, the paper holder can be moved to the left until one of the stop pins 72 engages that edge 34. To push the rod further inwardly, the bracket 56 is elevated to clear the opening 48 and the rod is pushed all the way in so that the shoulder 53 of the rod engages the front wall 17 of the base. This positions the outer edge 32 of the blocking plate 28 in the slot 22 and limits the extreme left position to which the paper holder may be moved. The paper holder may be moved to various positions to aline with openings in the cover member to permit printing of various sizes from a single sheet.

The cover, generally designated by the numeral 74, is hingedly secured by hinges 75 to the rear wall 18 of the base 12 so that the cover may be-hingedly raised and lowered relative to the base. The cover may be locked in a tilted elevated or raised position, as shown in FIG. 2, by means of a locking bracket 76 which is pivotally secured as at 77 to the side wall of the base. The locking bracket is provided with an elongated longitudinal slot 78 having a notched offset slot portion 79 at its end which communicates with the slot 78 but ex-, tends transversely thereof. A pin 81 having a suitable head is'secured to the cover and the pin rides within the slot 78 of the locking bracket. When the cover 74 is tilted to its fully open position at the angle shown, it may be locked in such open position by the pin engaging the offset slot portion 79 of the'slot 78 so that the locking bracket 76 holds the cover in such tilted position. By manually moving the locking bracket 76 so that the offset slot 79 is cut of engagement with the pin, the cover may be lowered so that it is substantially in a horizontal plane in relation to the base, as shown in FIG. 1. The cover is in this horizontal position when the prints are made. The locking bracket has a turned edge for manual engagement for the purpose of releasing the locking bracket so that the cover may be lowered to its horizontal position.

The cover 74 is provided with a depressed or recessed portion generally indicated by the numeral 82 which is of a generally rectangular-shape and to the left side of the cover. It is integrally formed from the material forming the balance or right side 83 of the cover. The depressed portion of the cover is provided with three spaced openings 84, 86 and 88 of different sizes. The opening 84 is substantially 5 X 7 inches and said opening is closed by a hinged door indicated by the numeral 84' which is hinged as at 84a to the cover at the lower end. The door has a knob 84b secured to it at the upper end which is manually engaged for opening and closing the door. Positioned immediately to the right of opening 84 is opening 88, approximately 3% X 5 inches, which likewise has a hinged door 88' hinged at the top thereof as at 88a to the cover and provided with a knob 88b. Positioned above the opening 88 and to the right of'the opening 84 is the smaller opening 86, approximately 2% X 3% inches, which'is closed by a hinged door 86' hingedly secured at one side as at 860 to the cover and provided with a knob 86b. Secured to the front of the cover is an outwardly extending metal tab 90 which may be manually engaged so that the cover may be hingedly elevated or lowered as desired.

The operation of the easel can be understood from the foregoing but will be briefly described with respect to producing the plurality of different sized prints.

The three sizes of multiple prints which may be produced with the use of the easel are illustrated in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. With a single sheet of paper of the size 8 X 10 in the paper holder 62, two 5 X 7 inch prints, indicated by the numerals 90 and 90a, may be produced from said sheet as shown in FIG. 8, as follows. The rod 40 is retracted to its fully retracted position so that the blocking plate 28 clears the slot 22. The paper holder 62 with the paper thereon is then slid to the extreme left position and in this position half of the paper will be in alinement with the opening 84 so that by opening the door 84' a print 90 (FIG. 8) can be made on the exposed paper surface confined within that opening. The paper holder with the paper therein is then removed from the base and turned and the paper holder is again positioned to the extreme left position so that the other half of the sheet will be positioned in direct alinement with the opening 84 so that when the door 84 is opened that portion of the paper is exposed for making the print 900. Thus, two 5 X 7 inch prints may be made.

As shown in FIG. 9, four 3% X 5 inch prints, identified as 92, 92a, 92b and 920 may be produced from a single sheet as follows. The swing bracket 56 is pivoted upwardly so that it does not interfere with the rod 40. The rod 40 is then pushed inwardly as far as it can go so that the shoulder 53 engages the front wall 17 of the base. This positions the blocking plate 28 so that the edge 32 thereof is within the slot 22. The paper .holder with the paper thereon is then slid to the left position where one of the stop pins 72 will engage the edge 32 and limit the leftward movement of the paper holder. This positions the paper holder and the paper in line with the 3% X 5 inch opening 88 so that the lower left corner of the paper is in alinement with said opening, and by lifting the door 88' the paper is exposed for the purpose of making the print. The first print on the sheet (FIG. 9) is represented by the numeral 92. To make the second print on the lower portion of the sheet the rod is fully retracted to clear the slot, which permits the paper holder to be moved to the extreme left position. This positions the lower right-hand side of the sheet under the opening 88 so that a second exposure can be made on the lower half of the print, as indicated by the numeral 92a. To produce two similar prints at the upper end of the same sheet, the paper holder is removed and turned 180, reinserted in the slots and the same procedure aforedescribed is followed so that two prints 92b and 92c are formed on the upper portion of that sheet.

To produce six 2% X 3% inch prints from the same sheet, as shown in F I6. 10, the paper holder 62 with the paper thereon is positioned to the extreme right position on the base so'that the upper left portion of the sheet would be in alinement with the 2% X 3% inch opening 86 so that a print 94 could be made thereon. To produce the second print 94a on the upper portion of the sheet, the rod 40 is retracted so that the shoulder 52 thereon is adjacent the front of the base and the swing bracket 56 is horizontally positioned over the rod to engage said shoulder 52 to'prevent the rod from being pushed inwardly. This positions the inner edge 34 of the blocking plate 28 in the slot 22 and permits the paper holder 62 to be moved to the left where one of the stop pins 72 engages the edge 34 and positions the sheet under the opening 86 to make the print 94a. To make the third print 94b on the upper portion of the sheet, the rod 40 is fully retracted so that the slot 22 is I tive to any of said openings, said cooperating means inclear. This permits the paper holder to be moved to the extreme left position to position the right-hand portion of that top sheet in alinement with the said opening. To produce three similar prints 94c, 94d and 94e on the bottom half of the sheet, the paper holder is removed from thebase and turned 180 and repositioned in the slots and the same procedure is followed with respect to the bottom portion of the sheet which would now be positioned at the upper portion of the-paper holder.

With this invention a plurality of prints may be readily produced from a single sheet. The device is so simple that it may be readily operated in the dark and once the procedure is learned it can be operated merely by feel and need not be visually observed. The easel may be made of metal or any desired material.

What is claimed is:

l. A multiple print easel comprising, a base having a slot, a paper holder movable on said base and adapted to support a sheet of print paper, said paper holder having means extending into said slot to slidably support said paper holder in said slot, said paper holder being movable relative to said base, a cover positionable over the top of the base, said coverhaving a plurality of different size openings and means for closing said openings, said paper holder and base having cooperating means for the selective positioning of the paper holder so that same maybe selectively positioned relacluding manually operable means on said base cooperating with said slot for limiting the sliding movement of said paper holder relative to said base.

2. An easel as set forth in claim 1 in which the paper holder is removable from said base so that it may be repositioned on the base from the previous position.

3. An easel as set forth in claim 1 in which the cover is hinged to said base so that same may be tilted to an open position relative to said base for inserting the paper in the paper holder and for removing said paper holder with the paper thereon. g

4. An easel as set forth in claim 1 in which the paper holder is selectively positioned with respect to each of the openings in the cover so that when the opening is opened the exposure may be made through said opening. 7

5. An easel as set forth in claim- 1 in which the cover has an opening of approximately 5 X 7 inches, an opening of approximately 3% X 5 inches, and an opening of approximately 2% X 3% inches.

6. An easel as set forth in claim 1 in which the manually operable means includes a blocking member positioned within said base and slidable relative to said slot so that either of two edges are selectively positioned in said slot whereby the'means on the paper holder engage said edges to limit the sliding movement of the paper holder in one direction to position the paper holderin alinement with the selected opening so that a plurality of prints may be made on the sheet.

7. An easel as set forth in claim 6 in which each of the openings is provided with a hinged door which may be lifted to expose the opening and when lowered to close the opening.

8. A multiple print easel comprising, a base having a slot, a paper holder movable on said base and adapted to support a sheet of print paper, said paper holder being movable relative tosaid base, a cover positionableover the top of the base, said cover having a plurality of different size openings and means for closing said openings, said paper holder and base having cooperating means for the selective positioning of the paper holder so that same may be selectively positioned relative to any of said openings, said cooperating means for selectively controlling the positioning of the paper holder comprising a blocking plate having a plurality of engageable edges and a rod secured thereto and extending exteriorly of the base whereby movement of the rod will move said blocking plate to either retract the blocking plate away from the slot or to position said blocking plate so that one or the other of said edges is within the slot and in the path of movement of said paper holder to be engaged byone or the other of said edges to limit the positioning of the paper holder in the one direction and whereby the paper holder may be removed and turned around 180 to expose the .other portion of the paper through said openings.

9. An easel as set forth in claim 8 in which the rod is provided with a pair of shoulders and wherein the outer shoulder engages the front wall of the base to limit the inward movement of the rod and position the blocking plate so that one of the edges of the blocking plate engages the paper holder and whereinwhen the inner shoulder of the rod is positioned adjacent the front wall of the base the other edge of the blocking plate is within the slot to be engaged by the paper holder, and means on the base movable to engage the inner shoulder to limitthe inward movement of the rod and blocking plate.

10. A multiple print easel comprising, a base, a paper holder on said base, said paper holder having a flat plate on which a sheet of print paper is directly supported, means on said plate for holdingsaid print paper in position on said plate, said paper holder being only longitudinally slidable on said base, a cover positionable over the top of the base, said cover having a plurality of openings and means for closing each of said openings, said plate of said paper holder and base having cooperating means for guiding the longitudinal sliding movement of said holder and for the selective positioning of the paper holder so that said paper holder may be selectively positioned relative to any of said openings to permit a plurality of prints to be made on said sheet of paper, said cooperating means including manually operable meanson said base engaging with means on the plate of said paper holder for limiting the longitudinal sliding movement of said paper holder relative to said base. 

1. A multiple print easel comprising, a base having a slot, a paper holder movable on said base and adapted to support a sheet of print paper, said paper holder having means extending into said slot to slidably support said paper holder in said slot, said paper holder being movable relative to said base, a cover positionable over the top of the base, said cover having a plurality of different size openings and means for closing said openings, said paper holder and base having cooperating means for the selective positioning of the paper holder so that same may be selectively positioned relative to any of said openings, said cooperating means including manually operable means on said base cooperating with said slot for limiting the sliding movement of said paper holder relative to said base.
 2. An easel as set forth in claim 1 in which the paper holder is removable from said base so that it may be repositioned on the base 180* from the previous position.
 3. An easel as set forth in claim 1 in which the cover is hinged to said base so that same may be tilted to an open position relative to said base for inserting the paper in the paper holder and for removing said paper holder with the paper thereon.
 4. An easel as set forth in claim 1 in which the paper holder is selectively positioned with respect to each of the openings in the cover so that when the opening is opened the exposure may be made through said opening.
 5. An easel as set forth in claim 1 in which the cover has an opening of approximately 5 X 7 inches, an opening of approximately 3 1/2 X 5 inches, and an opening of approximately 2 1/2 X 3 1/2 inches.
 6. An easel as set forth in claim 1 in which the manually operable means includes a blocking member positioned within said base and slidable relative to said slot so that either of two edges are selectively positioned in said slot whereby the means on the paper holder engage said edges to limit the sliding movement of the paper holder in one direction to position the paper holder in alinement with the selected opening so that a plurality of prints may be made on the sheet.
 7. An easel as set forth in claim 6 in which each of the openings is provided with a hinged door which may be lifted to expose the opening and when lowered to close the opening.
 8. A multiple print easel comprising, a base having a slot, a paper holder movable on said base and adapted to support a sheet of print paper, said paper holder being movable relative to said base, a cover positionable over the top of the base, said cover having a plurality of different size openings and means for closing said openings, said paper holder and base having cooperating means for the selective positioning of the paper holder so that same may be selectively positioned relative to any of said openings, said cooperating means for selectively controlling the positioning of the paper holder comprising a blocking plate having a plurality of engageable edges and a rod secured thereto and extending exteriorly of the base whereby movement of the rod will move said blocking plate to either retract the blocking plate away from the slot or to position said blocking plate so that one or the other of said edges is within the slot and in the path of movement of said paper holder to be engaged by one or the other of said edges to limit the positioning of the paper holder in the one direction and whereby the paper holder may be removed and turned around 180* to expose the other portion of the paper through said openings.
 9. An easel as set forth in claim 8 in which the rod is provided with a pair of shoulders and wherein the outer shoulder engages the front wall of the base to limit the inward movement of the rod and position the blocking plate so that one of the edges of the blocking plate engages the paper holder and wherein when the inner shoulder of the rod is positioned adjacent the front wall of the base the other edge of the blocking plate is within the slot to be engaged by the paper holder, and means on the base movable to engage the inner shoulder to limit the inward movement of the rod and blocking plate.
 10. A multiple print easel comprising, a base, a paper holder on said base, said paper holder having a flat plate on which a sheet of print paper is directly supported, means on said plate for holding said print paper in position on said plate, said paper holder being only longitudinally slidable on said base, a cover positionable over the top of the base, said cover having a plurality of openings and means for closing each of said openings, said plate of said paper holder and base having cooperating means for guiding the longitudinal sliding movement of said holder and for the selective positioning of the paper holder so that said paper holder may be selectively positioned relative to any of said openings to permit a plurality of prints to be made on said sheet of paper, said cooperating means including manually operable means on said base engaging with means on the plate of said paper holder for limiting the longitudinal sliding movement of said paper holder relative to said base. 